In today's data-driven society, gathering data is a key component of any consumer-facing business entity. Consumer interaction and behavior are critical data points that provide value in many different aspects of business operations. Tracking and recording consumer movement within a facility can provide insight on consumer usage, people flow, and assist in optimizing facility layouts. One such method of consumer movement tracking involves tracking electronic, signal-emitting devices attached to, and in-use by, the human body (e.g., smartphones, Bluetooth headphones, fitness trackers, etc.). Such tracking leverages the increasing prevalence of smartphones and wearable technology, as those devices are often connected to, and associated with, a single user.
Current technology, however, relies on individual users “opting in” to location tracking services for internet connected devices (most often “smart phones,” but also tablets and automobiles among other devices). Opt in occurs either through installation of a third party application (“app”) or through agreement to terms of services on connection to a broadcast Wi-Fi signal. Requiring an active opt-in effectively dampens the number of devices available for tracking. Some users actively opt out of location services. Others do not install the third party applications or do not connect to the wireless network. Whether through active or passive choices, a significant portion of the devices are not reported. Furthermore, numerous “dark devices” that are not internet connected, or turned off, also exist. Such devices are not currently tracked in any way. Such devices range, for example, from Wireless Headphones, to fitness trackers, to GPS devices.
Therefore, there is a long-felt but unresolved need for a system or method that can detect and aggregate passive electronic signals, such that position/location data can be triangulated and recorded, analyzed, and manipulated.